It was upon this hill that Gen. Washington stationed his troops and lighted camp fires for the purpose of deceiving the enemy, whilst he secretly withdrew to join La Fayette before Yorktown in Virginia, A. D. 1781.

There are still the remains of a considerable fort on the north end of this ridge. During the Revolutionary struggle the valley south from Vault hill to Kingsbridge, appears to have been the constant scene of skirmishing between the two armies.

3d July, 1781, General Washington planned an expedition to cut off Colonel James de Lancey, stationed in the vale, and Major

'^ This lady was sister-in-law of Augustus van Cortlandt, sen.

454 : •, -. HISTORY OF THE

Pruschanck, another British officer occupying Cortlandt ridge, in command of the Yager horse.

It had been so arranged that the Duke of Lauzun should march to Williams's bridge and there make his rendezvous till daylight the following morning. General Lincoln was to be piloted down from Tappan and landed below Yonkers, while Washington himself should take post on Valentine's hill. Lauzun accordingly conducted his cavalry to Williams's bridge, where he halted. In the mean time General Lincoln had been landed half a mile below the village, on the property now owned by Thomas W. Ludlow, Esq., then occupied by Isaac Post. After landing, Lincoln, guided by Major Lawrence, passed along shore south, missing C/ol. Emmerick with his corps marching north to Boar hill ; then crossing over the hills east, Lincoln followed ihe course of Tippett's brook, for the purpose of avoiding Pruschank's corps, stationed upon Cortlandl's ridge. Passing the Van Cortlandt residence, he kept close to the edge of Gun and Locust hills, and had arrived in the vicinity of General Montgomery's house, (then occupied by his widow,) unobserved by the sentinels on the opposite side, when the enemy's patrol fired.